Help us reach thousands more South African women via SMS to teach them vital information about reproductive health.
Why we care: Lamp-post ads by unscrupulous providers promising “pain free, same day” abortion are on the rise.
How we’re solving this: Since 2012, Ipas has worked with a local NGO partner specializing in mobile communication technologies to make information about medical abortion—pills, not surgery—available to more women.
South Africa has the most liberal abortion law in Africa, yet many women are denied access to safe abortion services because of lack of awareness of the law, poverty, stigma and other barriers. Women with unplanned pregnancies—especially young women—often have no recourse other than continuing an unwanted pregnancy or turning to unsafe providers or methods.
Taking advantage of the number of cellphones and popularity of SMS text messaging in South Africa, the Ipas mobile health project offers women free, informational SMS messages about medical abortion (MTOP, medical termination of pregnancy). The women sign up to participate at their local health facility. The SMS messages remind them when to take the next dose of pills, explain symptoms and warning signs, and remind them to get follow-up care.
In addition, our initiative features a “mobi-site” that makes sexual and reproductive health information—including information about contraception—available to mobile phone users. This site uses an app that works on most phones in South Africa. Hits on the mobi-site since it went live on International Women’s Day on March 8, 2012 are nearing 500,000.
The project is now operating in one province and, with your help, can be extended into two more. We will launch and promote this project in two provinces through printed posters inviting women to sign up for informational SMS messages. We can help thousands more South African women realize their reproductive rights and live healthier sexual lives.
Sample SMS messages:
“Hello! Today is the day that you must take the 4 pills you were given at the clinic.”
“Just checking in:) If you haven’t taken the pills at home yet, do it straight away. It’s NOT safe to miss the pills u were given to take at home.”